Heat hope to continue dominance of Hawks

(SportsNetwork.com) - The Miami Heat look to continue their recent mastery of the Southeast Division-rival Atlanta Hawks when the two clubs square off for the first time Tuesday at AmericanAirlines Arena.

The Heat took all four meetings with the Hawks last season and have won seven straight, nine of 10 and 14 of the past 19 games in this series. Atlanta hasn't fared so well in south Florida, losing three straight and 19 of the previous 23 trips there.

LeBron James averaged 21.8 points per game against the Hawks last season. The Heat are 55-40 all-time against the Hawks.

Miami has won three straight overall and six of seven games, and recorded a 97-81 triumph at Charlotte on Saturday behind James' 30 points on 13-of-18 shooting. Michael Beasley scored 15 points and Chris Andersen added 10 for the Heat, who received a combined 11 points from Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade.

"I looked at LeBron before we ran out on the court and said we're going to need a big game from (Beasley) tonight," Wade said. "He gave it to us."

The Heat shot 50.7 percent for the game and are fourth in the NBA in scoring with 106.1 points per game. James has scored 30-plus points in three straight games and is second in the league with 27.3 ppg. He is three foul shots away from 5,000 in his career.

Miami had scored at least 100 points in each of the first nine games to start the season, the longest streak to begin a season in franchise history.

On the injury front for the two-time defending champions, Wade (knees) and forward Udonis Haslem (back) are probable for Tuesday and guard Ray Allen (flu) is listed as questionable. Guard Mario Chalmers served his one-game suspension for a flagrant foul against Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki.

Chalmers took to his Twitter account about missing Saturday's game.

"My teammates gonna hold it down for me tonight against the bobcats. Can't wait till Tuesday night. It's startin to get personal now."

Atlanta enters the game on a roll, having won two straight and four of five games. In a 110-90 victory at New York on Saturday, Jeff Teague led a balanced attack and eight players in double figures with 16 points.

The Hawks shot 56.4 percent for the game and have scored 100-plus points nine times in 10 games this season. They rank second in the NBA in assists with 26.3 per game and have handed out at least 20 in every game.

"I think it was great to see the bench give us what they gave us tonight. I think defensively that was the closest to a complete game we've had," Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer said.

Korver, meanwhile, has made at least one 3-pointer in 83 straight games, which is six shy of tying Dana Barros' mark of 89. His precise shooting from downtown has the Hawks seventh in the NBA in scoring at 104.7 ppg.